Cinch-plate for saddles



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. P. WEEKS. CINCH PLATE FR SADDLES.

Patented May 21, 1895.

(No Model.) 2V Sheng-Sheet 2. A. P. WEEKS.

CNGH PLATE PoR SADDLES. No. 539,461. Patented May 21, 1895.

""IIIIHIHH""Il"fl Y lmlllllmlmj!|munlllllllllllluu IIIIIIIIIINIIIIEMM Y r` IIIIIIIHIVIIMNIIIILMM!iiiiiiilllIIIIIIIUHIIIa i l f l /l Y J TH NORRIS PETERS C0 PHOTO-UTN!) WASHINGYON D C UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

ALBION PARIS WEEKS, OF SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA.

CINCHPLATE FOR SADDLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 539,461, dated May 21, 1895.

Application iiled April 5, 1895. Serial No. 544,665. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBION PARIS WEEKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Cruz, in the county of Santa Cruzrand State of California, have invented a new and usefulA Cinch-Plate for Saddles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in cinching devices being designed for use in connection with all kinds of saddles.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of cinch plate described in a former patent granted to me Deceinber 2.5, 1894, No. 531,580.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of cinch buckle to be used in connection with said cinch plate.

Anotherl object of the invention is to combine said cinch plate and buckle in Such manner and apply the 'connecting straps thereto in such a way as to render the Whole device capable of rapid and easy adjustment and manipulation, so that the strength of a woman or child will suffice to girth the saddle to the animal.

To accomplish the objects, above enumerated, the invention consists in certain novel combinations, features, and details of construction and arrangment of parts as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a saddle with my improved cinching device complete and applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing a double arrangement of the cinching device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the improved cinch-plate. Fig. Liis asimilar view of the cinch-buckle. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the ears on the cinch-plate. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the pendent loop-frame swiveled to the cinchr plate. plate secured to the outer face of the cinchplate. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through the cinch-plate, cinch-buckle, and girth-strap.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a saddle of any preferred form and description that shown being provided with the usual horn 2 and pocket or recess 3. Suitable straps 4 pass over the saddle 1, one lying in the re- Fig. 7 is a similar view of the bracketf cess or-pocket 5 just in advance of the horn 2 and the other strap passing over the saddle in rear of,the cantle 5. To the ends of these straps 4 upon either side of the saddle are attached the improved cinch plates, which I will now proceedto describe.

The main body of the cinch plate, indicated at 6, is substantially square, but preferably provided withrounded corners, being made of iron or steel or other metal, and may be backed bya suitable facing of leather 7. To each upper corner of the cinch plate 6 is pivotally secured an ear 8,provided with an elongated slot or aperture 9, and the straps et which pass over the saddle tree are secured to and support the cinch plates by means of these pivoted ears. In order to more securely fasten the ears 8, I provide a fastening plate 10 substantially rectangular in shape and located outside of the lower inner endsof the ears 8, the cinch plate, fastener plate, and ears being provided with aligned perforations for the reception of a through rivet 11. The fastener plate 10 being independently riveted to the main plate 6, the pivoted ears 8 are thus supported upon,- both lsides and the strain applied evenly totherivets on which said ears are hinged.

At the lower end, the fastener" plate 10 is bent over and under in such manner as to form an elongated eye or bearing 12, which is adapted to receive and surround the upper cross bar of a pendent loop frame 13, which is suspended thereby in front of the main plate 6. After passing around the upper cross bar of the peudent loop 13, the end of the fastener plate is passed upwardly between its central vportion and the plate 6, rivets 14 holding the parts rmlyin place. The pendent loop frame 13 is provided at its lower extremity with a cross bar 15 .to which the adjusting strap is secured, and with a second cross bar 16 just above the lower cross bar, around which is placed an anti-friction roller 17.

The cinch buckle indicated at 1S ispformed from sheet met-al, preferably, and consists principally of a wide U -shaped or three-sided frame, across the terminals or ends of which is extended a bar or rod 19, the latter being provided at each end With a short inwardly extending arm 2O by means of which it is riveted or otherwise securedlto the main portion or body 18 of the buckle. Located centrally of said rod or bar 19 and pivotally mounted thereon is a` small rectangular frame composed of side bars 21 and cross bars 22 connecting the end bars at top and bottom. The side bars 21 are spaced a sufcient distance apart to receive between them the strap which passes down from the cinch plate, and the connecting bars 22 are preferably made round. in cross section and shouldered and riveted at each end to the side bars. The upper ends of the side bars 21 upon their inner edges are notched or cut out, as indicated at 23, to form shoulders 24 adapted to underlie the lower edge of the main body 18 of the buckle or to engage notches 211 therein for preventing lateral play. The main body 118 of the buckle is further providedlwithlugs or stops 25 upon opposite sides of the side bars 21, for preventing side play of the frame'2l, 22. The upper cross bar 22 has a roller disposed around it and a tongue pivoted to therod or bar 19 and of a length suflicient to reach to the roller 26, completes the cinch buckle. 7 indicates a backing of leather thereon.

The cinch 27 Which passes under the animal is providedl at either end with one of the cinch buckles just described', andV the cinch buckles are connected with the cinch plates on either side of the saddle by means ot'` girth straps 27, The girth strap 27a is secured at one end around the lower cross bar l5 of the pendent loop frame 13 pivoted to thecinch plate, and from thence it passes downward under andaround the antiffriction roller 26 on the cinch buckle.` The girththen passesupward over the anti-friction roller 17 on the pendent loop frame of the cinchplate, thence downward again outside of itself and again around the roller 26 on the cinch buckle, after which it again passes upward tothe cinch plate, where it is adapted to be secured to a pin 28 projecting outwardly from the faceof the cinch plate, by meansof any one of alseries of holes 29 in the girth. By meansof the series ofholes 29 the'girth may be tightened to any desired extent, and this may be donewhile the rider is sittingin the saddle, the upper end ofthe girth being Within easy reach of said rider,.thereby rendering it nnnecessary for him to dismount in order to tighten the girth. After the girth is tightened the rider may engage one of theholes thereof with the pin or hook 2S, but in case the saddle should be loaded with something which hangs down upon the sides of the saddle thus rendering it inconvenient to get at saidpin or hook 2S, the girth strapmay be engaged With the cinch buckle by entering the tongue thereof through the desired hole in said girth strap.

Under the double arrangement of cinching device, as shown in Fig. 2, the parts are merely duplicated as faras-the cinch andgirthlstrap are concerned and also the cinch buckles. One of the upper pivoted earsis, however, dispensed with, and only one of said earsS` employed which is pivoted centrally of the l roller,

f3 539,4Lei

`secured the ends of a short connecting strap 31, as indicated in Fig. 2, the purpose of which is to keep the two cinch plates in their proper lpositionsand hold them the desired distance apart.

The cinchin g device above described is simple and durable and is thorougly complete and efficient in use. By means of the parjticular construction of the cinch plate and the cinch buckle and the interposed connecting strap, it will be found that the strength of a woman or child will be amply sufficient for tightening the girth strap; also that the rider may easily tighten or loosen the girth stra-p from the saddle thereby obviatingthe necessity of dismounting for the purpose.

Having thus described the invention, what is-claimed as-new, and desired to besecurcd by Letters Patent, isj 1. In a cinchingA device, a cinch plate provided With slotted and pivoted ears, and the saddle straps connected therewith, in combination with a pendent open loop frame provided with a cross bar for the attachment of the girth strap, an anti-friction roller carried by said pendentloop frame at or near the bottom thereof, and a pin or hook projecting from the face of the'cinch plate, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a cinching device, the combination with the cinch plateand its supporting straps, and the pendent open loop frame hinged thereto and provided with an anti-friction roller, of a cinch buckle comprising an open elongated frame, a centrally arranged loop frame hinged thereto, and an independently pivoted buck-le tongue, and the interposed girthstrap connecting the cinchbuckle and cinch plate, all arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a cinching device, the cinch plateprovided With pivotedfears, the saddle straps attached thereto, andthe pendent loop frame hinged to said cinch plate and provided with amanti-friction roller, in combination with a cinch buckle comprising an open elongated frame, a centrally arranged loop frame hinged thereto and provided with an anti-friction an independently pivoted buckle tongue, stops for preventing lateral movement ot' said pivotedloop frame, and a girth strapinterposed betweensaid buckle and the cinch plateand passing over and around the anti-friction rollerson both of said parts, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I' claim the foregoing as myown I have hereto aflixed my signature 1n the presence of two Witnesses.

ALBION PARIS WEEKS. Witnesses:

C. I-l. CHACE, C. W. FINoH. 

